In 119 patients undergoing intra-abdominal arterial reconstructions, the small intestines were retained in plastic bags and the fluid that passed from the small intestine into the intestinal bag was cultured for bacteria to search for enteric organisms as a source of prosthesis infection. No enteric organisms were recovered from these 119 cultures. Three cultures did yield bacterial growth; in two cases Staphylococcus epidermidis was found and in one instance S aureus was cultured. Under the conditions of this study, which included intravenous administration of cephalothin sodium preoperatively, intraoperatively, and postoperatively, the small intestinal transudate did not harbor enteric bacteria.